News

Man's body found after fire at Canoga Park strip mall

City News Service

Posted:
11/22/2012 05:58:29 PM PST

Updated:
11/22/2012 07:01:10 PM PST

Firefighters work the scene of a fire in the 7800 block of Alabama Avenue in Canoga Park on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. A man s body was found in a burned-out business. The cause of the fire and identity of the victim are being investigated. (Rick McClure/Special to the Daily News)

Firefighters work the scene of a fire in the 7800 block of Alabama Avenue in Canoga Park on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012. A man s body was found in a burned-out business. The cause of the fire and identity of the victim are being investigated. (Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer)

CANOGA PARK - A man's body was found in a burned-out business that went up in flames in Canoga Park early Thursday. | PHOTOS

"We are removing a body from the location. I can confirm that," Lt. Larry Dietz of the coroner's office said. "But we have no identity on the body
at this time."

"Right now the fire remains under investigation by the Los Angeles City Fire Department's arson investigators," Scott said. "But, so far, there is
no indication that this was an arson fire."

The blaze in a strip mall in the 7800 block of Alabama Avenue was reported about 2:10 a.m. and put out in 32 minutes, Scott said. One of 62 firefighters assigned to the fire fell off a ladder was taken to a hospital to be checked out, he said.

Three units at the strip mall were severely damaged, and three sustained damage in areas where they shared walls, a videographer at the scene said.

Tenants included a paint shop, two kitchen appliance stores, a construction business and a surf shop, where chemicals reacted with water after
the fire, exploding harmlessly during the mop-up phase, according to the photographer.